Author Archives: hugh

About hugh

I live off-grid in NW Scotland and have spent my life playing with wind turbines. I also love small hydros. Hands on renewable energy is my thing and I like to learn and to share my experiences.

Suddeustche Zeitung

Posted on 12/09/2011 by hugh

Hugh Artikel SZ1Sept11 An article in a German newspaper about Scoraig.  If anyone can read German maybe they’d tell me what it says?

Posted in People | Leave a comment

How to use a charge controller

Posted on 11/09/2011 by hugh

I have been working on some pages to help people with wiring up their wind turbines to a battery with a charge controller.  These pages explain how to size the controller, choose a dump load, configure the dip switches and … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, my own projects, products/technical, wind systems tutorial | 5 Comments

2011 edition of the Wind Turbine Recipe Book

Posted on 10/09/2011 by hugh

Three years ago I produced a book of wind turbine designs to supercede my previous book “How to Build a wind Turbine”.  The new “Recipe book” explains in detail how to build six different sizes of wind turbine in any … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, construction, my own projects | 15 Comments

Wind turbine construction workshops in Athens

Posted on 09/09/2011 by hugh

Nea Guinea (neaguinea.org), is a collective in Athens, Greece “On the renewable energy workshop we organize two kinds of workshops, one on the construction of DIY PV panels and the design and installation of small scale hybrid systems and one … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, courses, People | Leave a comment

Gallery: Uganda Veterans Wind Power Initiative

Posted on 09/09/2011 by hugh

My thanks to Mr. AGWOTU SAMUEL for sending me a big pile of photos from Uganda.  See the full gallery here

Posted in construction, developing world, People | Leave a comment

Trends in the small wind industry

Posted on 09/09/2011 by hugh

David Sharman of Ampair has given me his presentation slides intended for the Small is.. conference, and has permitted me to publish them on this blog.  They are worth a look for anyone interested in the past and future of … Continue reading →

Posted in People, UK small wind scene | Leave a comment

Photo gallery from Romania

Posted on 08/09/2011 by hugh

See Dan Paraipan’s photos here http://scoraigwind.co.uk/?page_id=702

Posted in construction, People | Leave a comment

Airgap flux experiments at CometME

Posted on 08/09/2011 by hugh

Noam Dotan has been sending me results of some interesting tests that he has done on two alternators: 4200 diameter turbine grid-tie alternator with 20 magnets 46 x 30 x 15 mm and 15 coils 260 turns of 0.9mm diameter … Continue reading →

Posted in CometME, construction, developing world, People, wind systems tutorial | Leave a comment

A simple counter, based on low cost calculator

Posted on 07/09/2011 by hugh

Noam Dotan has published this from CometME in Palestine: Counting the turns may be confusing especially if you need to wind some 260 turns per coil. A simple counter is based on low cost calculator where the ‘=’ key is … Continue reading →

Posted in CometME, construction, developing world | 1 Comment

Is small scale wind a truly appropriate technology in developing countries?

Posted on 06/09/2011 by hugh

Thanks to Robin Lovelace for these videos of a debate at the Small Is… Festival 2011 between Teo Sanchez (Practical Action), David Sharman (Ampair), Aran Eales (V3 Power), and David Howey (Oxford University).  The debate was ably chaired by Steven Hunt.  … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, developing world, People, UK small wind scene, Video links | Leave a comment